1. Technical Field
The present invention is a pre-programmed device and method for forming and displaying images, comprising electrically powered light emitters, preferably light emitting diodes, in one or more generally continuous rows, which are under the direct control of a microprocessor(s), such that graphics, text, or other images are displayed when the display device is moved at or above a rate of speed sufficient to be viewed by humans.
2. Background Information
There have been devices developed in the past that use multiple lights which are moved to give the illusion of shapes, but no pre-programmed, electrically powered device having light emitters under the direct control of a microprocessor has heretofore been available. The display device of the present invention preferably includes a non-reflective, tinted cover with spectral light filters to allow day light viewing of displayed images.
Even though this display device emits light from individual lights or LEDs, the human eye perceives it as a continuous word or picture message. Light pulses at a constant speed, but the pulse rate of most light is above our ability to perceive individual pulses. We perceive daylight, for example, to be constant, when sunlight actually arrives at the eye in short bursts. Sound is similar; humans perceive certain sounds as continuous when actually the stream of sound is in pulses. Humans have a different persistence of vision than other animals. The devices of the present invention give a human observer the illusion of a continuous light display by turning lights on and off with the display device in different locations.
The display device of the present invention is a modular device comprising one or more microprocessors, preferably on one or more printed circuit (PC) boards, directly controlling one or more rows of lights, preferably a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The microprocessor turns on and off the individual LEDs to allow a main PC board, when moved, to give the illusion of alpha-numeric characters, and/or two- and three-dimensional (2-D, 3-D) shapes. The main PC board can be independently operated once it is fitted with a power source, preferably batteries, and motion or speed sensors. With this invention, a powerful, fun, inexpensive, versatile light display for producing images is provided to the average consumer, in contrast with conventional light emitting diode displays currently on the market.